A British stripper who once worked at the same venue where backpacker Stacey Tierney was found dead has claimed Australian men ‘always pick an English girl’ in the gentleman’s clubs ‘because of their filthy accent’.

Dancer Miss Tierney, 29, died inside Dreams gentleman's club in Melbourne on December 19 and her family believe she may have been murdered.

Miss Tierney's family told MailOnline that they had no idea she was working as an exotic dancer.

Around 600,000 backpackers from around the world travel to Australia every year, many of them finding work picking fruit.

Brits aged between 18-30 can apply for Working Holiday visas in the country at a cost of A$440 (£250) and in the year 2014-2015, 44,730 were granted.

Trip of a lifetime: British backpacker Stacey Tierney, 29, pictured at Wyndham on William, Melbourne, last January, was an exotic dancer at the city's Dreams Gentlemen's Club

However, it’s not unusual for young woman landing in Australia to find themselves working in the adult entertainment business which pays significantly more than the bar and farm work available.

A 30-year-old stripper using the pseudonym Ellie Scott from Manchester, told The Sun ‘99 per cent’ of British girls keep their job hidden from the families.

‘The Australian blokes always pick an English girl over any other because of our accent and reputation as party girls.

‘They have a fetish for the English accent and take great delight in ­telling me it’s ‘filthy’,’ she said.

Miss Tierney was working at the Dreams club (pictrued) in Melbourne and was found dead inside the club

Miss Tierney, pictured with a friend, chronicled the first two and a half years of her trip of a lifetime in Australia on her Facebook page, but for the last six months of her life the photos dried up

However, the young women's undercover jobs can be dangerous.

Police are reportedly investigating out-of-hours activities at the Dreams club where Miss Tierney died.

They are said to believe she was inside the private area dubbed the 'Fantasy Room' when she was found dead.

Miss Tierney's family said in a statement on Friday that they were going through an 'extremely difficult time'.

'Stacey was, and will always be, the most amazing, special, caring person you could ever meet and this loss has devastated our family,' her family said.

'The circumstances surrounding Stacey’s death are being investigated by the authorities in Melbourne and we wait to hear further news every day.

'While we continue to work with the authorities in Melbourne our primary aim at this time is to bring Stacey home.

'Until we have Stacey home and the investigation is complete we would be grateful if the family’s privacy can be respected and we are allowed time to come to terms with what has happened.'

Sun-kissed snaps show her living life to the full with trips down Australia's Gold Coast before her mysterious death. In October 2015, she toured Fraser Island and posted a photo of a human pyramid with the caption: 'It took a few attempts but we did it!'

Miss Tierney's uncle Graham Tierney, in Manchester, said: 'I didn't know she was working in that club and I don't think anyone in the family did.

'As far as we knew, she was just travelling around Australia and enjoying it. I saw all her photos on Facebook and it looked like she was having a good time.

'She wasn't the type of girl to get involved with drugs as far as I know but we just do not know what has happened. Maybe her drink was spiked or something like that, who knows?'

He went on: 'I know my brother, Stacey's dad, has been trying to get some answers from the Australian authorities but everyone seems to be tight lipped at the moment. We only know what everyone else knows - the reports which have been in the papers.

'All the family seem very upset because she was such a great girl who was enjoying life.'

Fitness fanatic Miss Tierney swapped the rain of Manchester for the white-sand beaches of Queensland in 2013, and for more than three years lived the backpacker's dream.

Beach bum: Backpacker Stacey, pictured on Fraser Island, loved her carefree lifestyle with few commitments. She joyfully described her adventure as having 'no actual plan, just winging it'.

'Down Under!' In February, ten months before her mysterious death, Stacey was pictured on a boat of Australia's coast soaking up the sun and seemingly without a care in the world

On her Facebook page she posted scores of incredible pictures showing her diving from a plane, sunbathing on a yacht, taking epic road trips and enjoying wild parties, prefaced with the words: 'The happiest time of my life is now'.

She described herself proudly as a 'free spirit' and a 'wild moon child'.

HGV driver Paul, 32 - whose dad Alan is brother of the victim's dad Steven - said Miss Tierney from Stockport, Greater Manchester, who had been due to celebrate her milestone 30th birthday in just two weeks on January 20, 'absolutely loved' Australia.

Paul, from Mitcham, Surrey, explained: 'She had lots of friends there and I really think she wanted to settle there for good.

'She was always in great spirits and just oozed life. She was very pretty and petite and very energetic and would light up a room.

'We were in contact on social media and knew Stacey was working hard to pay for her lifestyle, doing some pole dancing for cash, but not anything shameful which would cause any embarrassment to her family.

He said he still hoped it was not true. 'Her parents would be horrified,' he said.

'It was all harmless dancing, her friends in Melbourne have since told us. She was also into fitness and loved doing all that energetic Zumba.'

Paul said he last saw her two years ago during a trip to Australia. He recalled: 'I went on holiday in June 2014 to help settle another cousin who had just moved over there. At the time Stacey was in Brisbane and we met up for the day and went to the beach. She was in great spirits and loving life.'

Live for the moment: An extraordinary online diary chronicling her adventures show free-spirited Stacey diving from a plane, sunbathing on a yacht, taking epic road trips and enjoying wild parties are prefaced with the words: 'The happiest time of my life is now'

Halloween queen: Stacey quit her job at the sports nutrition retailer Bodybuilding Warehouse Stacey arrived in Australia in July 2013, where she set up home in Brisbane. Her closest friends said she was a fun-loving party girl who liked to dress up

Fighting back tears, he said: 'That was the last time I ever saw her. I can't believe she has gone and in such mysterious circumstances.

'We will have no closure until we know what happened. The police have been hopeless and haven't told us much at all.'

Close friend and fellow exotic dancer Briar Rose revealed to MailOnline how Miss Tierney danced 'as much as she could' to fund her travels.

Briar Rose said: 'I don't think her family knew she was a [exotic] dancer. I don't think she spoke [to her family] about it. She's been dancing a few years on and off.'

New Zealander Briar worked with Miss Tierney as an exotic dancer in strip clubs in Brisbane and Darwin, hard-partying cities in Australia's north-east.

Ms Rose has revealed how the young Briton had to attend private parties and offer private dances in order to make money.

Asked by MailOnline if Miss Tierney offered private dances, she replied; 'Yes. That's how we all make money. If we didn't do private lap dances we wouldn't get paid so much.'